5. The poem describes a very simple happening
in very simple words.
It tells us that sometimes even a small
incident may prove to be of a larger
significance.
The poet is upset in the beginning of the
poem but a small incident of falling of snow
changes his mood totally.
In the end of the poem the poet feels
relaxed and thankful to the nature for
saving his day from being wasted.
6. The poet is upset and sitting under the hemlock
tree. Suddenly a crow sitting on the tree shakes
the tree and the fine particles of snow from
tree falls on the poet. The soft and cold touch
of snow changes the poet’s mood from sad to
happy. He starts feeling soothed and refresh. In
this way a simple moment proves to be very
significant and saves rest of the day of poet
from being wasted and held in regret.
The black crow is commonly a symbol of death
and fear.
Since the crow is not associated with goodness,
it is ironic that in this poem, it is doing a good
deed by shaking off the snow.
7. Robert Frost didn’t choose to use an oak, maple
or pine tree. No, instead he chose the hemlock
tree which is usually associated with poison and
toxicity. Anyway, the beautiful snow that adorns
the poisonous hemlock tree’s branches is shaken
off by a scary crow.
Robert Frost uses the elements of the fearsome
crow and poisonous Hemlock tree to do
something good – shake the white, pure snow off
the branches. This good act lifts the suicidal
person’s spirits causing him to change his mind
about killing himself. The small act causes the
man to have an enlightened insight.
8. We have a poisonous Hemlock tree covered
in pure, white snow and a man who is
depressed, planning to kill himself and
walking under the tree. At that precise
moment, the black crow of death shakes the
pure, good snow onto the man. All that
goodness helps the man to change his mind
about killing himself. Instead, he decides to
live, forget the regret and sorrow to enable
healing.
9. The poem, Dust of Snow by Robert Frost,
reiterates that the little things in life can
make huge changes in our future. It also
shows that if we can take the hard times of
life in stride, eventually something will
happen to change our situation into happier
times. The simple things we do for others
can make all the difference. Just think
about those random acts of kindness we do
and how much they brighten a person’s day
and sometimes change their future.
10. Noticing and appreciating all the small
things in life will make our life happier. It
will also cause us to have a spirit that is
willing to change and therefore succeed.
11. The poem dust of snow tells us about the
curative power of nature. Nature has the cure
for everything whether it is a bad mood or
illness. The poet is going through one such
bad day when a crow suddenly shook down
on him dust of snow from a hemlock tree. The
snow instantly makes him happier.
12. Metaphor: This rhetorical device is used
when a covert comparison is made between
two different things or ideas. In this poem,
the poet uses the device of metaphor in the
3rd line of the 1st stanza when he compares
the mass of snowflakes atop the hemlock
tree with dust.
13. Synecdoche: This rhetorical device is used in
many ways to represent one thing with the
help of an entirely different one. In this
poem, the poet uses the device of
synecdoche by way of using a part to
represent the whole in the 1st line of the 2nd
stanza. He says that his “heart” has
undergone a change of mood because the
crow has made the snowflakes from the
hemlock tree rain down on him. However, it
is not only his heart, but his entire person
that is now experiencing a better mood as a
result of the actions of the crow.
14. Rhyme Scheme- abab cdcd
Alliteration – saved some
Consonance – Has given my heart
Enjambment – used in all the lines except the
last one.
15. The poem is ironic due to a crow shaking
the dust of snow off a hemlock tree and onto
a person, who was contemplating suicide,
thus causing the person to rethink their
suicidal plans and decides to live. So two
symbols of death and fear are used to helped
a person. The tone reflects this irony.
16. Q1: What is a “dust of snow”? What does the
poet say has changed his mood? How has the
poet’s mood changed?
Ans: The dust of snow means the fine
particles of snow. The falling of snow on the
poet changes his mood. The soft and cold
touch of snow changed the poet’s mood from
sad to happy. Now he feels revived and
obliged to the beauty of nature.
17. Q2: How does Frost present nature in this poem?
Ans: Frost presents nature in a very different manner in
the poem. Generally poets take the birds and trees which
are known for their beauty and good qualities like
peacock, parrot, cuckoo, mynah and trees full of beautiful
flowers and fruits etc.
But here Frost has taken a totally different line, he
chooses crow, a bird which is black in colour with very
harsh voice and believed to be the symbol of bad omen.
Likewise, hemlock tree is a poisonous plant with white
flowers. It means he has left all the beautiful colours
present in the world and has chosen black and white.
Actually the poet has done so to present his mood and
feelings. The crow and hemlock tree represent sorrow and
depression felt by him in this materialistic world. On the
other hand the dust of snow is the symbol of natural joy
and energy. It means passing through the sad and
depressing moments the poet is entering into the time full
of joy and optimism.
